Cowlishaw: Who will be D-FW's biggest sports heroes in 2016? Let's gaze into the future

2/11

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10. Seth Jones, Stars D — While the league continues to search for evidence that Stars president Jim Lites tampered with pingpong balls in 2013 — enabling the Stars to win the lottery and draft the former Plano resident — Popeye’s son is just coming into his own as a puck-carrying defenseman. He should be an elite No. 1 D-man for years to come in Dallas, making fans forget this team once tried to bestow that label on Alex Goligoski.

For those who question the veracity of my predictive powers, I come with good news this morning. Having marveled at how Capt. James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise saved the Oscars for host Seth MacFarlane, I have solicited the good commander’s help for today’s column.

In years past, I have ranked the top 10 stars among the local professional teams. Going a step beyond (possibly where no columnist has gone before?), I have chosen to rank the top 10 for March 3, 2016.

So Kirk — from the future — took a peek back through his past and transported me his notes, although not without adding some uncalled-for criticism (“You couldn’t predict your way out of a Romulan neutral zone”). They are from a Stardate log that is difficult to read, so if mistakes are made in these next few paragraphs as we examine Dallas’ heroes of 2016 … consider them Kirk’s, not mine.

1. Yu Darvish, Rangers P — I realize local fans are still reeling from his 1-0 World Series Game 7 loss to Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers. Still, it was a classic, and another close call is better than none at all. Darvish’s progress continues. After three trips to the All-Star Game, the only question as he heads into the final season of his original contract is: Can the Rangers afford to keep him or will Darvish choose to sign with the free-spending San Jose A’s?

2. Dez Bryant, Cowboys WR — Remember way back when we thought the Giants’ Victor Cruz was more dependable? Crazy, huh? After four straight 90-catch seasons, Bryant is the consistent bright spot in a hit-or-miss offense that continues to rack up enough yards to keep the club in the top 10 statistically but fails to score enough points to reach the playoffs.

3. Jamie Benn, Stars C — Last year’s Hart Trophy finalist has a good argument for the top spot on this list. But after six straight years of missing the playoffs, it wasn’t until last spring’s run to the Western Conference finals — ending in the franchise’s second Game 7 overtime loss to Edmonton — that much of Dallas began to appreciate Benn’s toughness, leadership and all-around skills with the puck.

4. Johnny Manziel, Cowboys QB — Although Tony Romo was promised one more season as a starter, head coach Jon Gruden panicked after the 1-4 start in 2015 and went with Manziel, who had looked raw as the rookie he was in preseason games. With his steady progression in the passing game and scrambles that made Cowboys fans fondly recall their all-time hero Roger Staubach, Manziel led the Cowboys to their fifth consecutive 8-8 finish. A winning season with Johnny Football in 2016 would take much of the sting out of seeing Robert Griffin III spotlighted in last month’s Super Bowl parade for the Washington Americans.

5. Adrian Beltre, Rangers 3B — Hard to believe that most fans and “experts” wanted the Rangers to keep recently retired Cliff Lee rather than sign Beltre after the 2010 season. Although he hasn’t repeated his 2012 numbers when he batted behind Josh Hamilton, Beltre remains in charge at third base and in the clubhouse.

6. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks F — In his 18th and final season, Dirk is still averaging 18 points and seven rebounds a night, silencing a local columnist who wrote that missing the 2013 All-Star Game might signal the beginning of the end for the greatest Maverick ever. He made the All-Star team once more in 2014 and remains the top scorer for a franchise struggling to fill American Airlines Center.

7. Jurickson Profar, Rangers SS — After he beat out the Yankees’ Elvis Andrus in MLB All-Star voting for the first time in 2015, you have to think there’s only more greatness ahead for the switch-hitting leadoff man.

8. Jabari Parker, Mavericks F — Technically, the Mavs have drafted players from Duke before (Jay Bilas, Phil Henderson, Cherokee Parks), but in terms of actually signing and getting production from a Blue Devil, this is a first. Parker’s rookie season signals hope for the team’s future. He helped Mike Krzyzewski to his fifth NCAA title in 2014; maybe he can be a cornerstone for the next banner here.

9. Morris Claiborne, Cowboys CB — While the defense remains a constant work in progress, Claiborne has replaced pass rusher DeMarcus Ware as the big-play producer of this unit. After leading the NFC in interceptions in 2015, Claiborne is the bright spot in a secondary that has remained in search of safeties roughly since Roy Williams stopped covering people (2005?).

10.Seth Jones, Stars D — While the league continues to search for evidence that Stars president Jim Lites tampered with pingpong balls in 2013 — enabling the Stars to win the lottery and draft the former Plano resident — Popeye’s son is just coming into his own as a puck-carrying defenseman. He should be an elite No. 1 D-man for years to come in Dallas, making fans forget this team once tried to bestow that label on Alex Goligoski.

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About Tim Cowlishaw

Tim Cowlishaw has been The Dallas Morning News' lead sports columnist since July 1998. Prior to that he covered the Cowboys for six seasons and the Stars for three as a beat reporter. He also covered the Rangers as a backup beat writer and was the San Jose Mercury News' beat writer on the San Francisco Giants in the late 1980s.

Tim has been appearing regularly on ESPN"s "Around the Horn" since the show made its debut in November 2002. He also worked with ESPN as part of the network's "NASCAR Now" coverage in 2007-08.

Favorite Dallas restaurants: Park, Nick and Sam's, Kenichi.

Worst sports prediction: His first in college ... that Earl Campbell had no shot at the Heisman Trophy.

Best sports memories: Seeing the Dallas Stars hoist the Stanley Cup long after midnight in Buffalo, watching the Dallas Cowboys win the Super Bowl and Texas win the national title in perfect Rose Bowl settings.